


Anniversaries

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Original Character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2000-07-31
Updated: 2000-07-31
Packaged: 2019-05-15 20:05:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14797064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: It's the anniversary of the saddest day of Jed and Abbey's lives, and Josh's sister's birthday.





	1. Anniversaries

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Disclaimer: The West Wing and its characters are the property of Arron  
Sorkin, John Wells productions,  
Warner Brothers, and NBC no copyright infringement intended.

Author’s note: Dialogue outlined with ~~~~~ are flashbacks. The date  
given in the story is June 1 no year  
has been given, it could be any year during the Bartlet Presidency I  
want to send out a special thanks to AJ  
and Dani Beth for reading and pointing out my mistakes. You both ROCK!  
All of the West Wing Characters  
belong to Mr. Sorkin et al. There are a couple that belong to me, you’ll  
know them when you read them.  
Spoilers: I don’t want to ruin it so you’ll just have to read  
Rated: PG-13 disturbing material  
Please don’t archive without permission of the Author. Thank you.

"Anniversaries"

The White House  
June 1

"Good morning." Zoey walked in to the dinning room an took her seat at  
the table next to her father.  
"Good morning sweetheart."  
"Where is mom?"  
"She is still sleeping. What are you doing today?"  
"Charlie is taking me to lunch and then I really should unpack some of  
the stuff I brought back from school."  
"Sounds like a plan to me. Just don’t monopolize Charlie all day, I’m  
gonna need him."  
"Dad, I never take him away from the important stuff, just the useless  
trivia." she said jokingly. He shot her a look.  
"Hold on I don’t consider my trivia questions useless." The President  
got up from the table and walked over to Zoey. "I have to go to work  
now." He reached over and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  
"Okay, Have I good day. I love you"  
"I love you too sweetheart."

"Good morning, Leo."  
"Good morning, Margaret. Do I have any messages?"  
"Yes, Your sister called."  
Leo looked surprised yet concerned when Margaret mentioned his sister.  
"Okay, Thank you."  
Margaret handed Leo the message as he went into his office. He closed  
the door behind him. Margaret looked at the closed door concerned for a  
moment. Leo’s sister always called this time of the year and Leo always  
seemed to her to be preoccupied. Margaret pushed the thoughts out her  
head and went back to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Michael, Please don’t fight me! Let me do this."  
"No, mom it hurts! It will just make me throw up again and I’ll be sick  
for another six months." Abby was  
fighting her son again as she usually did when it was time to start  
another IV for his latest round of chemo.  
"I know you don’t like the way it makes you feel but it will help to  
make you better. I think that is a small price to pay." Abby was trying  
her best to keep a smile on her face while talking to her son. The  
chemo was helping but not as well as they hoped.  
"Mom, I going to die. when are you , dad, Katie,Joanna, and Liz going to  
accept that. Michael shot back firmly.  
"Now you listen to me, you are not going to die. Do you hear me?" At  
this point Abby could hardly contain her emotions. She finally got his  
IV in and then left him to sleep. Abby left the room thinking about  
what Michael had said part of her didn’t want to believe it but the  
other part knew she would have to come to terns with it. Michael was  
right, She was a doctor, yet there was nothing more she could do for her  
son. He was eight years old and he was right; he was dying.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo stepped into The Oval Office. "Good morning Mr. President."  
"Good morning Leo. How are You?"  
"Fine sir, thank you. I just got off the phone with Liz. She is coming  
in from Boston this afternoon. I will have to take the afternoon off.  
I’ll make sure Josh has anything urgent."  
"That’s fine. I’m glad she is coming"  
"Yeah, this tends to be a tough time for her."  
"And for you too."  
"Yes sir, but I think it’s harder on her."  
"Speaking of tough times, How’s Abby Holding up?"  
"She was still sleeping when I left, I’ll check on her later. Jed got up  
out of his chair and headed to the window.  
Jed, How about you? How are you holding up?  
"I’m fine. It’s hard to say this, but each year I think it gets a little  
easier on me and a little harder on my wife. I don’t know why."  
"I know what ya mean"  
"well, I guess I better get back to work."  
"Yeah, I got staff. I’ll see you later sir."  
"Okay"

Leo walked back into his office and found the staff ready for the  
morning meeting.  
"Good morning all. What do we have today?"  
"The speech for the association of retired teachers is almost finished.  
The luncheon is Thursday", Toby reported.  
"Okay, CJ what do you have? Leo turned his attention to the press  
secretary.  
"Good morning America wants someone for the Canada trip. Who should I  
send"  
"Send Billy"  
"Okay"  
"Josh, Sam what ‘s up with you guys.  
"I have another go around with the "Don’t ask don’t tell" guys. I have  
to say that is always a joy", Sam replied sarcastically.  
"Good Luck," Leo replied with equal enthusiasms.. "Make sure they leave  
the room knowing we are serious this time and we just not wasting their  
time and ours."  
Leo turned to the Deputy Chief of staff. "Josh, Josh...." Josh was  
staring into space and didn’t hear Leo call his name.  
"Josh!"  
"What? I’m sorry, he said snapping back to attention.  
"Everything alright?"  
"Yeah"  
"Your gonna help me with the report for the budget committee right?  
"yeah"  
"Okay, we have to break early. I have to spend the afternoon with my  
sister."  
CJ looked up from her cup of coffee and directly at Leo with a sweet  
look on her face. "Elisabeth is in town?"  
"yeah, she gets in later today."  
"That’s nice."  
"So we’ll break around twelve? I can help Sam with the health care  
research after his meeting. How bout it Sam?"  
"Sound good to me, Leo replied"  
Sam I’ll meet you in your office after I am done here.  
"Okay that’s fine."  
"Okay then, we’re done here." the senior staff collected their papers  
and exited Leo’s office all heading in different directions.

Josh walked passed Donna without saying a word and entered his office.  
Donna took notice of his behavior and follow him into his office.  
"You okay, Josh"  
"Yeah, I’m fine. Today is hard for me that’s all."  
"I know. If you need to talk. I’m here"  
"Thanks Donna." Donna got the clue and walked back to her desk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"I think we’re near the end here, Abby. I don’t think there is anything  
else we can do for him." Alex looked at his teacher and friend with  
sympathy in his eyes. "Alex, there has to be something more we can do.  
He is in some much pain. Isn’t there something else we can do?, Abby was  
so emotional spent that all she could do was look down at her coffee cup  
and dig deep down. <stay strong, You have to stay strong.>  
"Abby, I know you don’t what to here this but it’s only a matter of  
time. I am afraid that all we can do is make him comfortable." Abby  
looked up at her friend and colleague as if to protest what he just  
said. "You’re right...I just...He’s my son Jed and I love him very much  
we don’t want to loose him. She began to loose her composure "How long  
do you think he has?" Alex got up out of his seat. He was a doctor, She  
was he mentor, but he was a friend first. He put a comforting hand on  
her shoulder. "I don’t think he’ll make it through the night. I’m  
sorry."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Abby," Jed called as he walked up the stairs. When he got to the top  
of the stairs he saw her sitting on the couch in the bedroom. "You  
okay?," he asked standing in the door. she didn’t answer. He went over  
and knelt down next to her and took her hand. "Are you alright?" She  
squeezed his hand tightly in her, "yeah, I’m fine." She said as she gave  
him a gentle kiss on the cheek.  
"The truth this time, please."  
"I miss him and I feel guilty."  
"I know how you feel."  
"You have know idea how I feel! You were never there!" Abby pushed away  
from him and started to cry "I was holding him the last day, Elizabeth,  
Joanna, and Katie were there. You weren’t there Jed! We had been  
through so much together but when Michael got sick you stopped talking  
to me and you would visit when he was sleeping never when he was awake.  
What were you afraid of?" she look him in the eye. "You were afraid he  
would see you as weak, is that it. I can’t believe it took me twenty  
yeas to figure that out. Jed, he never saw you as weak, he loved you."  
"I know he loved me. I just... I couldn’t take seeing him like that.  
seeing the pain in his eyes. I couldn’t accept the fact that I was  
loosing my only son. Michael meant the world to me Abby", he said  
loosing his composure and Abby had tears running down her checks. Jed  
moved closer to her and caught her in an embrace. "I’m sorry...I  
shoulda been there it was just to painful to watch. Abby, it’s okay let  
it out, cry all you want." He drew her closer and held onto her while  
she lay crying in his arms.

"Leo the house committee will never go for it. They’re gonna give us a  
hard time on the Education spending."  
"I know Josh, but we have to try."  
"Leo, I’m with you. What I’m saying is that it gonna be a hard sell."  
"I know. Talk to the leadership, see what ya can come up with."  
"Okay"  
"What time is it?"  
"12:15"  
I gotta meet Lizzy." Leo got up from his desk chair and walked to the  
coat rack. "You gonna go help Sam?  
Josh...Josh. You okay"  
"What? Yeah, fine."  
"You’re gonna help Sam?"  
"Yeah, I’m headed there now."  
"Are you sure your okay? because earlier..."  
"I’m fine thanks for asking"  
"Okay I’ll see ya tomorrow Josh."  
"You’re not coming back?" Josh asked as the both walked out of Leo’s  
office and down the hall.  
"No, I’m not planing on it. Why do you ask?"  
"No reason. it just I noticed that you have the same meeting, on the  
same day every year with your sister."  
"You noticed that"  
"yes"  
"Okay," Leo said a little confused.  
"See ya tomorrow Leo."  
"Yeah." Leo walked out the door. Josh turned the corner into the  
communications bullpen and walked into Sam’s office.

  


  


	2. Anniversaries 2

"Charlie, thanks for lunch," Zoey said before she bit into her chicken  
salad sandwich.  
"You’re welcome," Charlie responded cheerfully as he took another bit of  
his own sandwich. "How’s your day going?"  
"Well, I finally got most of my stuff I brought back from school  
unpacked, but overall I would have to say  
that today has been interesting. How about your day?"  
"I have to agree it has been interesting, Charlie said as he picked up  
his soda, took a sip and then put the glass down again turning his  
attention back to Zoey. "Hey Zo, What’s up with your parents?" "My  
parents?" Zoey shot Charlie a quizmacial look, "What do you mean?"  
"Your Dad has been, I don’t know, withdrawn and very concerned for  
your Mom. He had me call and check on her six times alone in the  
hour before we left"  
Charlie could tell that Zoey’s expression had now changed to one of  
concern and deep thought.  
"Charlie what is today’s date?"  
"June 1st. Why?"  
"Oh God, today is the anniversary of my brother’s death."  
"Brother!, you have a brother?"  
"Had Charlie, actually he died before I was born. He had cancer. He  
died when he was eight years old; his name was Michael Josiah.  
Today is always a hard day for my parents especially my Mom."  
Charlie reached across the table and put a hand over Zoey’s.  
"I’m sorry Zo, is there anything I can do?"  
"Not really Charlie, just keep doing what you have been doing.

"Hey Josh."  
"Hey Sam." Josh said cheerfully as he walked over and sat in one of the  
chairs opposite Sam’s desk. "How was the meeting?"  
Sam looked up from the report he was reading,"It was the same meeting  
we’ve been having for months."  
"Some things never change, huh?" Josh said as he rolled his eyes.  
" You’ve got that right."  
"So what do we have for the health care bill so far?"  
"Well I finished the briefing memos and Congress basically wants to  
provide funding for pediatric cancer treatment and burn victims."  
At the mention of the burn victims Josh once again zoned out. "Josh?"  
Josh looked back at Sam with a questioning look on his face, "burn  
victims, What do they mean by that?"  
Sam looked down at the memo again and began to read it aloud. "Families  
shall receive money from insurance companies to help with the treatment  
and recovery from burns. The funding should be used for  
such things as plastic surgery, that is necessary for recovery and  
hospitalization. That is just some of the things they want included  
in this bill. Josh?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Josh! Get out of here. Run to the neighbors."  
"Joanie, not without you!"  
"Josh, GO NOW! I’ll be right behind you, I promise, NOW GO!"

"I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman there was nothing more we could do for  
her."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Josh, where were you? You zoned out on me there."  
"I’m sorry Sam, I... today is always hard for me. Today is my sister’s  
birthday."  
"Oh, Josh I’m sorry is there anything I can do?"  
"No, I have to handle it.... yeah, actually there is something, do you  
want to grab a beer after work? I could use someone to talk to."  
"Sure."  
"Okay." Josh said getting out of his chair and walking to the door.  
"I’ll see ya later then. With that said he walked out of Sam’s office.

"Lizzy!" Leo said cheerfully as he gathered his kid sister into his  
arms.  
"Leo, How are You?" She asked as she held him at arms length. "You look  
well."  
"I’m hangin in there. How about you, How are you doing?"  
"Every year seems to get easier, she said with a sigh. Especially when  
Jason doesn’t come, I hate to say that but, he is young,  
better that he not have to deal with this yet.  
It is also easier when I know I can come see you." She said as she put  
an arm around him.  
"I’m always here for ya kiddo, but and I'm not gonna argue with you but,  
Jason is eleven now I think he is old enough to know now."  
"I’m glad you’re not gonna argue." With that comment they both shared a  
laugh, Leo bent down to help his sister with her bags.  
"Is this it?"  
"That’s it."  
"Okay." Leo took her hand in his as they walked out the door to his car.  
Leo finished putting the bags in the trunk then he helped his sister to  
the passenger side.  
"So, where would you like to go first? My place?"  
"No Leo, I think I’d rather go to the cemetery first."  
Leo looked down at his sister, he took her hand gently in his.  
"You don’t have to do that right now. We can..."  
"Leo." Liz interrupted. "I need to go now. For the entire flight that  
was all I could think about, especially this year."  
"Okay then that’s what we will do." He closed the passenger side door,  
walked around to the driver side and got into the car.  
During the ride to Arlington, Elisabeth turned her attention back to her  
brother.  
"Hey Le," she began with uncertainty in her voice.  
"Yeah Liz." Leo could read the uncertainty in her voice.  
"Is that shoulder still available?"  
Leo chuckled at the inside joke for this very difficult day.  
"Whenever ya need it kiddo."

TBC

Feedback please.

 

 


	3. Anniversaries 3

"The White House recommendation for future education spending will go to  
the House committee next week." CJ said as she spoke to the White House  
Press Corp. " The President will speak at the luncheon for the  
Association of Retired School Teachers next Tuesday. I’ll more  
information on that for you as the event gets closer.  
That’s all I have for you today before I call the lid, I’ll take a few  
questions." The Press Corp that had been unusually quite now exploded  
with questions. "Liz," CJ called out to her first questioning reporter.  
"Will the President address the growing class sizes and the need for  
more school teachers in his recommendation to the House committee?"  
"Let me emphasize that we are working closely with the Secretary of  
Education and the committee to come up with a solution to address the  
growing class sizes. "Bruce?"  
"Does the President plan to outline some of that proposal in his speech  
to the Teacher’s Association next week?"  
"I do believe the President will outline some but not all of the  
proposal. Next, Danny?"  
"CJ, what about the health care bill, can you comment on the progress  
there?"  
"We’re beginning the research for the health care bill. We support the  
proposal for the bill, but beyond that I wouldn’t want to speculate.  
That is all for today folks the lid is on have a great day see you all  
tomorrow. I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming." The  
Press Corp chuckled at the last remake, CJ walked out of the Press Room  
with Danny in pursuit.  
"CJ!" Danny shouted as he tried to catch up with her.  
"Danny, What’d ya need?"  
"Nice job with the health care bill."  
"Thank you, what do ya need?" she asked as she and Danny walked through  
the twisting halls of the West Wing.  
"I was wondering if you knew why the First Lady canceled her day and why  
the President’s Chief of Staff left at lunchtime and hasn’t been seen  
since?"  
"Danny!" CJ stopped dead and gave the Senior White House Correspondent a  
glaring look.  
"In the office?" Danny asked.  
"Yeah." CJ and Danny turned the last corner, and into her office.  
"Danny, today is June 1st, the President and First Lady haven’t seen  
each other in weeks. Plus, It’s June 1st."  
"Oh CJ,I... how could I forget about Michael. I’m sorry."  
"It’s Okay, Danny. As for Leo, he got a call from his sister. She is in  
town so he took the afternoon off to be with her."  
"Thank you CJ", Danny said as her phone rang.  
"You’re Welcome." She replied as she picked up the phone and talked into  
the receiver. Danny left and closed her office door behind him.  
"Hi Toby, What do ya need?"  
"Just wanted to let you know the speech is done."  
"Great."  
"You can let the press in on it. We’re meeting in an hour to go over the  
bullet points. Sam’s gonna come too."  
"Okay Toby, see you in the Press Room in an hour." As she hung up the  
phone she looked over at the picture on her desk, she had a funny  
feeling that she was forgetting to do something today but she didn’t  
know what it was.  
She turned to the pile of paper on her desk hopefully she could get  
something done before her meeting with Sam and Toby.

Liz and Leo walked up to the grave sight where the head stone read  
Robert H. McConnel, Captain, U.S. Air Force. Liz held tightly onto Leo’s  
hand as she approached the sight were her husband was buried. Leo could  
tell she was holding all of her emotions inside; she was relying on him  
for support as she did nine years before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Liz was washing dishes when she heard a car come up the driveway. She  
looked out the window and saw  
three Air Force officers walking up to her front door, one she  
recognized as her older brother, but she didn’t  
know the other two. She went to the door "Le, what happened?"  
"Lizzy, can we come in?"  
"Le, she said uneasily as she opened the door and admitted them into the  
living room. "Please be quite the baby just went down for his nap."  
"Liz, please come sit."  
Leo sat next to his sister "Lizzy, Robbie was on a rescue mission in  
Israel, his plane was shot down."  
"NO!" She screamed in shock and disbelief. "Oh Leo," Elizabeth said as  
she fell into her brother’s arms.  
"Ssshhhh, Lizzy it’s gonna be...I’m gonna help you through this."  
Nothing Leo could say at this moment would help, she just lied in his  
arms weeping.  
"Ma’am we are sorry for your lose, said one of the officers.  
"Thank you, she replied weakly still buried his the safety of her  
brother’s arms.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leo noticed that Liz began to shake as she stood in front of the  
grave.  
"Le, I’m lost without him, ya know."  
"I know." He said helping to steady her.  
"I miss you babe. Leo let’s go. I don’t think I can take anymore of  
this.  
"Okay, Do ya want go to my place?"  
"Yeah," she said with a tear in her eye as she placed flowers on the  
grave. Leo helped her to a standing position, holding her in a strong  
embrace. She put her head on his shoulder as they walked to the car,  
her emotion now getting the best of her.

Abbey lay silently in her husband’s arms having cried herself to sleep.  
Jed sat thinking of his son while watching his wife finally at peace.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Dad! Catch." Michael yelled as he threw the ball. Jed ran and grabbed  
it out of the air.  
"Nice throw, son."  
"Thanks!" Michael replied almost out of breathe.  
"So how are you feeling today son. Better, I hope?"  
"Yeah, but Mom still wants to run some tests, why?"  
"Because we want you to get better son?", Jed replied as the started to  
walk up to the house. "How about some lunch?"  
"Then can I have some ice cream?" Michael asked with a smile across his  
face.  
"Yes you may, after you eat your lunch," he added firmly."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


Jed thought back to that day, it was Michael’s last Summer. The day  
after they played catch in the backyard, Alex Wilson, told his mentor  
and her husband that their son had a rare form of Leukemia and that he  
had at most a year to live. Jed couldn’t stand the memories that came  
flooding back to him now, he had.. he still did love his son. Jed  
slowly moved Abbey carefully out of his arms, and stood up quietly. He  
placed a pillow under her head , bent down, and kissed her tenderly on  
the forehead He couldn’t stay he had to get  
his mind off the pain, not off his son, he would never forget Michael.  
He left the room carefully not to wake Abbey, she was sleeping finally  
at peace with herself, at least for now. Jed went back to work.

TBC 

  


	4. Anniversaries 4

"Toby, this is great. I’ll give the press a sneak peak at the next  
briefing." CJ said.  
"Sam, What do you think?" Toby asked  
"Do you care what I think?" Sam asked dryly.  
"No, I was just trying to be nice."  
"That’s what I thought, I was just checking."  
"Damn," CJ said drawing a look from the two of them.  
"What?" They asked in concert.  
"I forgot to do something. I have to go. Are we done?"  
"No." replied Toby. CJ shot him a look of urgency.  
"But we can finish later." he concluded.  
"Thank you!, she shouted back to him as she ran out of the Press Room.  
Sam turned to Toby, "What was that about?"  
"I honestly have no idea."  
Toby picked up his notebook and followed Sam out of the Press Room.  
"It’s seven o’clock." Sam said as he looked at his watch.  
"Yeah, which means what?" Toby asked as they walked back to the  
communications bullpen.  
"I have to help Josh with something."  
"What, do you have to help him with?"  
"It’s personal!" Sam shouted as he ran ahead to his office "See ya  
tomorrow."  
"yeah." Toby replied. "Why does everyone dessert me?" he thought to  
himself as he walked into his office.

Bach in her office CJ sat once again transfixed to the picture of the  
three kids on her desk She had tried to pick up the phone several  
times, but put it back each time. "Oh, the hell with it," she thought  
"I’m calling."  
She picked up the phone and this time she dialed the number. On the  
other end, a young woman said  
"Hello."  
"Hi Susan, It’s Claudia Jean"  
"CJ!" She woman on the other end sounded like she found a long lost  
friend, and maybe she did. "I thought you forgot. If you did I would  
have understood.  
I mean, with the job and all."  
"I’ve been busy, I’ll give you that. The day is winding down here now  
so I thought that I would give you a call."  
"I’m glad you did Claud."  
"Sue, How are the kids this year?" CJ asked with concern in her voice.  
"Well, with the trial finally over and the bastard getting what he  
deserved they..." She corrected herself,  
"We have begun to heal, but it’s been a long process."  
"Suz, You don’t have to remind me about that.  
I remember as if it were yesterday."  
"CJ, please don’t blame yourself. It’s not your fault.  
In fact you saved the kids, and for that, I could never  
repay you. If it weren’t for you my kids and I might be dead right now.  
I begging you, please whatever you do don’t blame yourself.  
I would ask if you want to talk to them but they’re all in school right  
now, I’ll tell them you called and thanks again for checking in."  
"No problem, call if you need anything, and send the kids my love."  
"I will, see you soon CJ, bye."  
"Bye, Suz." The line went dead before CJ hung up the phone. She was so  
preoccupied that she didn’t hear the soft tap at her door. When she  
looked up, Toby was standing in front of her.  
"Toby! You scared me"  
"Sorry, I didn’t mean to. Who is Suz?"  
"What?"  
"Who is Suz?"  
"You were listening to my phone conversation?" She asked surprised at  
him.  
"Didn’t mean to." He said as he sat in a chair in front of her desk.  
"Who is she, CJ?"  
"She was my College roommate and still is my friend."  
"I see."  
"Wait there is more"  
"You don’t have to tell me anymore, you didn’t even have to tell me  
that." Toby began to get up out of the chair.  
"Wait! I want to tell you. I’ve kept this to myself long enough.  
Susan met this guy when we were juniors in college.  
They hit it off, then she got pregnant, and then married. After they  
were married they had two more kids; I’m the Godmother to all of them.  
When she finished that statement Toby had a shocked look on his face.  
"Don’t look at me like that."  
"Like what? Oh, sorry. So What happened?"  
CJ continued. "Anyway he came home one night drunk and beat Susan and  
the kids. They came and stayed with me; he came looking for them.  
When he knocked on my door Susan pleaded with me to take the kids and  
hide.  
She said that she was going to end it here and now. I took the kids to  
my landladies apartment, down the fire escape and through her kitchen  
window. She let Eddie in I heard them fighting and called the police.  
When they got to the apartment they were still fighting; he pushed her  
through my sliding glass door.  
One of the cops pulled his gun because they couldn’t stop Eddie. Before  
the cop could shoot, Eddie pulled his own gun and killed the cop.  
His partner shot Eddie but didn’t kill him. To make a long story short,  
his was convicted of murder and child and spousal abuse. The kids had to  
testify. They also had no mother for four months,she was in and out of  
hospitals.  
I took care of her and the kids, as best I could." CJ now had  
tears in her eyes, "I was the one they sat next to in the court room  
when they heard what would happen to their father, because they wanted  
to be there and their mother couldn’t."  
"What happened to him?" Toby asked putting a supportive hand on CJ’s  
arm.  
"He got the death penalty. I really have no position on capital  
punishment, but I can’t say I’m sorry." Tears once again began  
to gather in her eyes as she thought about the kids... not for him,  
but the kids, her best friend, and the pain he put them through."  
"CJ." Toby spoke softly. "Let’s get outta here."  
"Where are we gonna go?"  
"I don’t know. How about a drink."  
"Okay, Georgetown?"  
"Fine." He replied as he put an arm around her and guided her out the  
door.

"Leo, thanks for today." Liz said as she finished the last of her  
Chinese takeout.  
"Well, you’re welcome. Sorry I’m not much of a cook."  
"That’s okay." she replied with a giggle  
"Why don’t we throw the plates out and sit down and talk?" He suggested.  
"Sounds good." Liz got up and collected the empty containers, and  
plates, and threw them in the garbage can.  
Then she followed her brother into the living room and sat next to him  
on the sofa. He put a comforting arm around her.  
"So," he began "Hey before, you said this year was especially hard,  
Why?" Liz began to cry when Leo asked the question.  
"Lizzy?" Leo asked calmly but with concern.  
"I’m sorry." she whaled.  
"It’s okay. What is it?" Leo responded, tightening his hold on his kid  
sister.  
"Well first Jason came home and said "Mom, I want to fly planes, like  
you said dad did. "And then two days ago I got a letter from one of his  
high school buddies, asking if he wanted to help with the reunion that  
is coming up." Liz began to sob again. She buried her head in Leo’s  
chest.  
"Well," he began, the reunion thing isn’t that bad."  
"I know." she said still sobbing. "I called and when Fred, his friend,  
picked up the phone, he apologized for having sent it."  
"So, that’s not really what’s bothering you. It is what Jason said."  
Leo replied looking up at a picture of his nephew that he kept  
on top of the television set, next to one of Jenny and Mallory.  
"You got that right, Le" Tears now falling down her face again. Before  
Leo responded he lifted her head up and gently wiped away a tear.  
"No more tears, Okay?" He said wiping away the last one.  
"Okay." She said with a little smile.  
"Jason is nine years old, Liz this is what boys his age are supposed to  
do at his age. It’s what I did. If he still wants to do it at eighteen  
then we’ll talk." He said with a smile.  
"I don’t want to loose him, like I lost Robbie. I don’t want another  
visit like the one from you nine years ago."  
"That sounds fair. Ya know it occurs to me that if Robbie were here now  
he would kick both of our asses because of our somber behavior.  
I don’t think that the Captain McConnel I knew would want us to be  
crying about him nine years later, when we had no control over what  
happened in the first place."  
"What do you want to do?" Elisabeth asked picking her head up off his  
shoulder.  
"Let’s go have a drink."  
"A drink! You can’t have a drink Le." she said seriously.  
"Relax, I’ll have a soda or something. come on you need to  
drown your sorrows. Let’s go." Leo got up off  
the sofa and helped his sister up, pushing her out the door.  
They headed for Georgetown.

TBC. The end of the story will be posted next week. Feedback good/bad is  
welcome.


	5. Anniversaries 5

Abbey was sitting in the living room sipping a cup of tea, looking at a  
photo album, when she heard someone come into the room. She turned to  
see Zoey standing behind her.  
"Hey sweetie. What’s going on?"  
"Nothing, Mom. What are you up to?"  
"I’m looking at some pictures. come sit with me." Abbey motioned to Zoey  
to come sit next to her. Zoey obliged, and sat next to her mother.  
She began looking at the pictures. They were picture of her sisters,  
Katie ,Joanna, Elizabeth, and who else... Michael. "Mom is that?"  
"Michael, yes that is Michael"  
"Tell me about him."  
"Michael was a typical eight year old little boy. He liked the  
outdoors, loved sports. Your father and he used to play catch in the  
back yard all the time. He was smart." She began to laugh.  
"What are you laughing about?"  
"Whenever your father would begin another round of trivia questioning,  
Michael would leave the room."  
"You’re kidding. I guess he was smart." Zoey said with a laugh."  
"Yes he was. I wish you could have known him. Before he got sick." she  
added "When he got sick all of the joy and the whit faded away." She  
began to cry again Zoey quickly put an arm around her.  
"It’s okay, Mom. I know him, I just wish I knew him better."  
"Where is your father?" She asked wiping the tears from her eyes.  
"Charlie said that Dad was downstairs still working when I talked to  
him. He had to leave to pick up his sister he did say he wasn’t sure  
if he was gonna make it. Dad has been driving everyone crazy today,  
since he came up to talk to you."  
"That sounds like your father, always hiding his emotions. I’m gonna go  
check on him."  
"Okay. Hey Mom take him out somewhere, he needs to unwind. Charlie said  
he really scared him today."  
"Okay sweetie, I’ll see what I can do." Abbey walked out of the room and  
headed for the West Wing.

In the Oval Office, the President was sitting at his desk, reading the  
speech for the Retired Teacher’s Association, However, the speech  
wasn’t the only thing on his mind. He had the speech in one hand and a  
picture of his son held tightly in the other. He had tried to  
concentrate, but his mind was on his family.  
"Abbey was right, I was afraid that my son would think of me as weak."  
he thought angrily to himself, "I should have been there. I was there  
for his first word, first steps, first homerun. Why couldn’t I be there  
for him? For my family when they needed me the most?" His attention  
wondered from the picture when there was a light tap on his office door.  
Abbey walked in.  
"Hi, Gumdrop."  
"Hey, How you doing?"  
"Okay. How about you?" She asked as she walked toward him and took his  
hand in hers.  
"I’m feeling pretty bad."  
"So I hear, Zo said that you were running your staff in a marathon of  
paperwork. When are you going to realize that that doesn’t make the  
feelings go away? You just have to let them go." She said as she let go  
of his hand and sat down on his lap.  
"I know, I know, but..." he replied as e put his arms around her.  
"No buts! Regardless of the title or your gender." She added with a  
laugh, " You are aloud to show emotion."  
Jed looked into his wife’s eyes. "You were right before, ya know, I  
didn’t want him to see me weak." He replied weakly choking back his  
emotions.  
"Don’t fight it anymore, Jed. Let it go!" Abbey gathered him up into a  
warm embrace. He held onto her tightly for a few moments letting his  
bottled up emotions follow freely.  
He regained his composure moments later and looked into her eyes once  
again. "Thank you."  
"For what?"  
"For kicking me in the ass when I need it the most." They both laughed  
at the comment, Jed helped her out of his lap.  
"Hey," she began, "Zoey suggested we do something, just the two of us.  
What do you think?"  
"I think I could use a drink."  
"Jed! Oh, alright." she said giving to the please Mom look on his face.  
"Georgetown?" he suggested.  
"You think the service will go for that?" Abbey asked.  
"They better. I’m the President of the United States." he got up, and  
put an arm around her waist as they walked out of the Oval Office.

TBC...  
Sorry this took so long to post.

 


	6. Anniversaries 6

OK, so here it is, the end. I would again like to thank AJ and Dani Beth  
for proofing this for me. I would also like to thank all of you for your  
great comments. Can't wait to see what you all think of the last part.

  


Josh and Sam sat at the bar. Sam was glad that he was able to help his  
friend get throught his difficult day.  
"Josh, tell me about Joanie." Sam said as he took a sip of his beer.  
Josh took a sip of his own beer and turned to his friend. "Joanie was a  
caring and fun person. She and I used to play and fight, like all  
brothers and Sisters do. She liked classical music, Ave Maria was her  
favorite.  
"She sound like she was a great person, Josh."  
"She was and, I miss her. I still blame myself for her death, but deep  
down I know she was looking out for  
me. That’s what big sisters do, right? Josh look down at his empty  
glass and then back at his best friend.  
Sam padded his friend on the shoulder and said, "That’s sounds about  
right to me." Sam then hailed a bartender and asked for another round  
of drinks. Sam and Josh continued there conversation while  
unbeknown to them, across the room two people they knew were also  
drowning old sorrows.

"Toby, I am serious." CJ said as she tried to convince the  
Communications Director she was telling the truth.  
"I don’t believe you,CJ."  
"I swear that’s how it happened. Suz liked this guy, so I said that I  
would help her ask him out. We both walked up to him and introduced  
ourselves. She seemed to be doing fine, so I turned around and started  
talking to another friend about a class assignment. All of the sudden,  
I hear all this commotion. When I turned around, there was Suz, slapping  
this guy that she just had to meet, across the face. They both had  
tomato scues all over them and she just stormed out of the cafeteria.  
After that fiasco, she met Eddie and it  
got even worse. It was all downhill from there." When CJ finished her  
story, she looked down at her empty glass.  
"Hey CJ, it’s okay." Toby said as he placed his hand over hers and  
hailed the waiter. "Can we have another  
round, please?" he asked.  
"Certainly sir. A Grasshopper for the Lady, and a beer for you. Is that  
Correct?  
"Yes it is."  
"I will bring them right away sir." the waiter replied and went towards  
the bar.

Leo and Liz walked into the upscale Georgetown bar, found a corner table  
and took a seat. Leo didn’t even notice the members of the White House  
Senior Staff scattered around the room. He focused all of his  
attention on Elisabeth.  
"You look a lot better then you did an hour ago." He said cheerfully."  
"I feel a lot better than I did an hour ago." She replied as a waiter  
came to take their order.  
"What can I get for you folks?"  
Leo looked at his sister, she ordered first. "I’ll have a whisky Sour."  
"Okay, and for you Sir?"  
"Club soda will be fine."  
"Very well I’ll bring those right over."

Toby and CJ’s conversation had hit almost every topic imaginable. CJ  
finally looked away from Toby, and  
towards the bar, and said "I wonder what’s taking so long."  
"I don’t know."  
"I’ll go find out." she said getting up from the table. She headed to  
the bar.

"So, Jason is doing well I take it." Leo said to his sister as they  
waited for the drinks to come.  
"He is. He is a great student and seems to have a well balanced life. I  
hope." She said with some uncertainty.  
"I know he does. He has a great mother." Leo replied with a smile.  
"Thanks Leo. Hey, when are you coming to visit?" She asked.  
"I’m not sure. Why?"  
"I want to tell Jason about his father, and I was kinda hoping you could  
help me out. Ya know, in the shoulder department." she said with a  
laugh.  
Leo laughed at the inside joke. He put a comforting hand on Liz’s arm  
and with a smile replied "Sure thing,Lizzy."  
"Thanks again. Hey, what happened to those drinks?"  
"I don’t know. I’ll go see." Leo got up from the table and headed to the  
bar.

Jed and Abbey were surrounded by Secret Service Agents as they entered  
the bar hand in hand. The agents  
quickly lead them to a secluded table in the corner of the room and  
surrounded the area.  
"Well Zoey certainly had a good idea." Jed said to his wife as they sat  
down.  
"Yes, she did. Kids are amazing. They can read their parents like  
books."  
"Yes, and they do, and as I remember Michael had a talent for it"  
Jed and Abbey reminisced about their son and the family for a few  
moments, then an agent on the  
Presidential detail approached them.  
"Excuse me Mr. President, would you and the First Lady like anything?"  
Jed looked at his wife, and then back at the agent "Yes. I’ll have a  
scotch."  
"And I’ll have white wine." The First Lady replied.  
"Yes Ma’am, Sir." The agent walked away to place the order at the bar.

CJ walked up to the bar and spoke with one of the bartenders. While she  
was waiting for the drinks, she saw Sam and Josh out of the corner of  
her eye.  
She walked over to them, they hadn’t seen her yet.  
"Excuse me, rumor has it that you two work for the President,may I have  
your autographs?" CJ did all she  
could not to crack up as she asked the question.  
Sam and Josh both turned and looked at CJ. Surprise written all over  
there faces.  
"What you doing here?" They each asked the other, at the same time.  
"Well," CJ began, "Today’s sortta tough for me so Toby offered to get a  
drink with me after work to get my  
mind off it."  
"Toby is here?" Sam said with notable surprise.  
"Yes he is."  
"Funny thought, the reason Sam and I are here is because Today’s tough  
for me too. We decided that it was  
best to do something to get my mind off it." Josh said.  
CJ, Sam and Josh spoke for a couple of minutes.  
The bartender brought the drinks that CJ ordered for she  
and Toby before she left the bar, she said  
"Why don’t you guys come join us? It will be fun."  
"Okay." Sam and Josh said almost on cue.  
As they walked back to the table they ran into Leo who was coming back  
with drinks for he and his sister.  
"Small world." CJ commented as she ran into him.  
"Yeah." Josh said.  
"I’ll say." Sam said.  
"Hey, what are you all doing here?" Leo asked.  
"I should ask you the same thing." Josh said with a laugh.  
"Not funny, Josh" Leo said sternly.  
"Sorry, I guess you could say we are drowning our sorrows."  
Yeah, we are doing the same. Mine in soda of course." Leo added with a  
laugh "I brought Liz here to get her mind off the day.  
It is so hard for her."  
"Hey Leo, why don’t you two come over and sit with us?" CJ asked.  
"Or you could all come over here, bring your friends and sit with us."  
a familiar voice said from behind them.  
They all turned to the voice in unison with drink in hand.  
"Mr. President, Mrs. Bartlet." the staff all said in a chorus.  
"What are you doing here, sir?" Leo asked.  
"My daughter suggested that Abbey and I have some time to ourselves, to  
reflect on the day as it is, to unwind. So, are you going to come join  
us or are you all just gonna stand there?" Bartlet asked.  
"Sir we wouldn’t want to intrude." Leo answered the rest of the staff  
agreed.  
"You aren’t. We think of all of you as family." He said looking over at  
Abbey.  
"Okay then we’ll come over." Josh said.  
"Yeah, let me get Toby." CJ said.  
"Here." Sam said turning to CJ. "I’ll take the drinks.  
"Okay, thanks Sam."  
Leo handed his drinks to one of the Secret Service agents and asked him  
to take them to the table, while he went to get his sister.  
Sam and Josh followed the President and the agents to the corner table,  
drinks in hand.

"Toby" CJ said as she came over to the table.  
"You were gone an awfully long time. Where are the drinks?"  
"Yeah, I know. The President and First Lady are here."  
"What? How the hell did they get the service to go along with that?"  
"I don’t know, but they invited us over to the table, with the rest of  
the White House Senior Staff."  
"What? We’re all here?"  
"Yeah" CJ said with surprise.  
"Why?" he asked as he got up from the table and followed CJ to the  
President’s table.

"Lizzy, come with me" Leo said as he came up to the table.  
"Where are we going?"  
"To sit with some friends."  
"Really? Who?" she asked.  
"The President, First Lady, and the rest of the staff."  
"Great! I haven’t seen them in ages."  
"Yeah, I know." He said as he pulled her up to a standing position and  
lead her over to the corner table.

"Well this is nice." Abbey said as the staff sat around the table.  
"Elisabeth you look wonderful. How are you this year?"  
"I’m going better each year, I guess. Thanks for asking, and may I say  
you too look wonderful."  
"Thank you, Liz."  
"Wait a second," CJ said a moment of confusion coming over her.  
"I know about Michael, but why is this  
day hard for the rest of you? I know why it’s hard for me, but what  
about everybody else?"  
The President looked over at CJ "Today is hard for you all too. Why?"  
"I asked I guess I’ll start." CJ said. Today is kinda a double whammy  
for me My best friend’s husband beat her and her kids up, shot and  
killed a cop, and was convicted of murder, among other things, and was  
sentenced to death all on the someday. Okay so maybe it’s a triple  
whammy. But at any rate, it’s a day I would rather forget.  
The entire table had looks of shock across their faces. Leo put a hand  
on CJ’s arm and said "CJ, I had know idea."  
"We didn’t either" everybody at the table answered.  
"Okay." Leo said taking his sister’s hand "We’ll go next."  
Elisabeth began to speak "Today is the anniversary of my husband’s  
death." Tears fell from her eyes again as the words came out of her  
mouth. Leo quickly gathered her up into a hug.  
Leo continued, "I was one of the Air Force officers that came to tell  
her, so this day has always been tough. He said solemnly.  
He turned his attention back to his sister and then Josh spoke up.  
"Today’s my sister, Joanie’s Birthday. CJ looked sympathetically at  
Josh. She remembered all of the stuff Josh had told her about his  
sister. She knew it wasn’t an easy subject for him.  
Toby looked around the table, Leo’s sister had calmed down. She was  
wiping the last fresh tear away with a  
tissue Abbey had given to her brother. "I’m just here to support CJ." He  
said solemnly.  
"And I’m here to help Josh." Sam added.

The President looked around at his staff, took his wife’s hand, and  
began to speak. "Most of you know that this is the anniversary of our  
son Michael’s death. "It is still hard for me to believe that he is  
gone.it’s even harder still after hearing all of your heartbreaking  
stories, for me to comprehend that a group of loving and caring people  
so close to one another, should have to deal with so much pain. Be that  
as it may, we all seem to have found ways  
to deal with it, and I am grateful that you all helped each other deal  
with it."  
The president raised his glass "Here is to present and absent friends  
and loved ones, who have changed our lives and opened our hearts. They  
shall never be forgotten." Everyone raised there glass in tribute to  
those who they lost, loved, still love will never forget.

The End

>


End file.
